Those negative stereotypes are often associated with teens, but you can never judge a book by its cover.

Mission Serve, a group of teens from as close as Polkville to as far away as six other states, showed this week that many members of our younger generation are giving back to their communities.

Take the example of Donna and Teddy Blanton of Bessemer City. The couple uses cookware to catch the rain that seeps through their ceiling. They couldn’t afford a new roof.

Finances have been a struggle for years, ever since Donna was injured on the job. They now live on one income.

Their air conditioning went out two years ago. They haven’t been able to replace it.

Donna asked for assistance through a local aid program, but she was placed on a waiting list.

“Most of the time I just go without or do it myself,” she said. “We just do with what we’ve got.”

Mission Serve, comprised of about 230 teens and adults, came through this week and went to work for the Blantons. Now they have a new roof.

In all, the group planned nearly 20 projects at job sites in Shelby, Bessemer City, Gastonia and Charlotte. Most of the volunteers are teens who recently returned from a Mission Serve trip of their own to Alabama.

Each morning the group gets up and heads out to the work site by 7:30 a.m. They work until 4 p.m. before heading back to Catawba Heights in Mount Holly to clean up, eat dinner and join in devotions.

“People think we’re crazy sometimes, spending money to be on a roof or painting or whatever the job is,” said Emily Andrews, from Baltimore.

Thirteen church groups comprise the mass gathering of volunteers.

Most of the 19 planned projects are replacing roofs, but the volunteers also paint and do other home repairs.

Kids involved with Mission Serve are in middle or high school or college.

Andrews is on her ninth trip this year. Now in college, she started volunteering when she was 11.

She said she likes getting her hands dirty for a good cause.

“I love being on the roof,” Andrews said. “It’s just the love for God and serving others.”

We applaud these young people for stepping up and doing what they can to help others. May their hard work inspire others to do the same.

Need help?

Mission Serve has its projects already in place for the summer.

For information about how to get assistance in the future, call 888-421-4408 or look online at mission-serve.com.